Cher AoIR-ists: As someone who is looking for accessible resources for teaching online research ethics this fall, allow me to call to your attention a new publication that makes a significant contribution to the growing literature on Internet research ethics - and, I believe, will be of distinctive use especially in _teaching_ Internet research ethics: May Thorseth (ed). 2003. _Applied Ethics in Internet Research_. Trondheim (Norway): Programme for Applied Ethics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The book grew out of a conference and graduate course on Internet research ethics held in June, 2002, at NTNU. The first section of the book is made up of contributions by the conference speakers and serves as an introduction to the field of Internet research ethics: Dag Elgesem, "On the parallel between the norms of science and the norms of cultures on the Internet" Charles Ess, "Beyond Contemptus Mundi and Cartesian Dualism: the BodySubject, (re)New(ed) Coherencies with Eastern Approaches to Life/Death, and Internet Research Ethics" Chris Mann, "Generating data online: ethical concerns and challenges for the C21 researcher" Annette N. Markham, "Critical Junctures and Ethical Choices in Internet Ethnography" That is: the introductory material includes two more theoretical/conceptual approaches to Internet research ethics by philosophers engaged in applied ethics - and two very practically oriented guides by prominent researchers who have paid exceptional attention to ethics in their own work. (AoIR-ists might also note that the first three are members of the AoIR ethics working group. Chris Mann, in particular, is already deservedly well known for her 2000 book (co-written with Fiona Stewart), _Using the Internet in Qualitative Research: A Handbook for Researching Online_: the chapter on research ethics in this volume, in particular, served as a very useful required reading for the course. Annette Markham is of course prominent for her research, including her 1998 volume _Life online: researching real experience in virtual space_.) The second part of the volume is made up of the masters'-level research projects/papers developed by the course participants. These papers are equivalent to something like a semester/term research paper in the U.S. system: in addition, each paper was submitted to two of the participating conference faculty for critical review and comment, and revised accordingly. Hence they can be seen as something like "mini-masters" theses. Most of these contributions focus on specific ethical issues encountered by their authors in the course of a specific research project - and hence function as "real-world" case studies for teaching research ethics. Again, the AoIR ethics working committee is well represented here: the first contribution is from Janne C.H. Bromseth (who was also very much a central force in organizing the conference and course in the first place): "Ethical and methodological challenges in research on net-mediated communication". Further contributions include: Heidi Gilstad, "Ethical questions related to the development of telemedicine" Camilla Halvarson & Peter Lilliengren, "Private explanatory systems and informed consent online" Cecilia Löfberg, "Ethical and Methodological Dilemmas in Research with/on Children and Youths on the Net" Helge Ridderstrom, "Ethical challenges in research on youths' personal home pages." These last two address one of the thorniest areas of online research ethics - namely, ethical obligations, and how they might be met, to children and minors. (To my knowledge, this is one of the most complex areas because of the "constituency" - i.e., minors who are more vulnerable (and thus to whom more is owed in terms of protection, etc.) but who, at the same time, are not legally able to give (or, more fundamentally, fully understand the meaning of) "informed" consent. At the same time, to my knowledge, this area is among those least written about in the literature,. Hence these chapters are especially important and useful.) Two other contributions are written from more philosophical and theological perspectives: Roe Fremstedal, "Recognition between Internet users" Svein Sando, "Vulnerable bodies as ethical sensors" Fremstedal examines how far the Net may contribute to the sorts of inter-subjectivity (including recognition of "the Other" as _real_) required for discourse ethics and democratic deliberation in Apel and Habermas, and in light of Hegel's dialectic of recognition and Kierkegaard's existentialism (whew! great stuff for us philosophers!) Sando develops an equally interesting framework for research ethics, based on an overview of diverse Western philosophical and theological understandings of embodiment and the body, vis-a-vis contemporary theorists of embodiment and cyberspace such as Katherine Hayles and Barbara Becker. FWIW: both I and Sando develop views on embodiment that argue for a strong connection between our online and offline subjectivities - and thus for more of an analogy rather than disanalogy between online and offline research ethics. In any case, I believe the book will be of considerable value to both faculty and students who must confront the ethics of online research. To my knowledge, there are at least two other books coming out soon that likewise deserve serious attention - but this volume will be especially useful for teaching purposes as it includes not only solid theoretical reflections and orientation, but also a great range of _applied_ ethical reflection by both prominent researchers and masters-level students whose projects and reflections will be immediately accessible to their cohorts in other institutions. Finally - the book is most affordable: 100 Norwegian Kroner / 6.75 USD / 11 British pounds. (though I don't know what the shipping charges might be) Ordering address: Programme for Applied Ethics, Department of Philosophy, NTNU, NO - 7491, Trondheim, Norway. By e-mail: <may.thorseth@hf.ntnu.no> As the Germans say, "Selbstlob stinkt" (self-praise stinks): I hope these comments will not be interpreted as such. Rather, despite my inclusion in this volume (smile), I hope this brief overview will be a useful FYI.. And, of course: any other suggestions for teaching resources would be most appreciated! All best wishes, Charles Ess Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies Drury University 900 N. Benton Ave. Voice: 417-873-7230 Springfield, MO 65802 USA FAX: 417-873-7435 Home page: http://www.drury.edu/ess/ess.html Co-chair, CATaC: http://www.it.murdoch.edu.au/catac/ Exemplary persons seek harmony, not sameness. -- Analects 13.23